This member of the Zamiaceae
family was described by Giuseppe Bertoloni in 1851. It is found in the northern Natal Province (South Africa)
up to southern Mozambique. It grows in a well drained soil
with some water and some sun. The stem can grow up to 35 centimetres
in diameter and 100-180 centimetres height. The cones are yellow to
red.

The name
Encephalartos is derived from the Greek.
"en" meaning within; "kephali" meaning head and "artos" meaning
bread. Ferox comes from Latin for "fierce" / "ferocious" in
reference to the rigid, spiny leaflets.